Yarn clamping, severing and removal attachment for circular knitting machines



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 a a w. W m w i. a w 1 1 w W mu Sept. 28, 1965 F. c. MOREHEAD YARN CLAMPING, SEVERING AND REMOVAL ATTACHMENT FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 27, 1960 Sept. 28, 1965 F. c. MOREHEAD FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES 2 Shee ts-Sheet 2 Filed April 27. 1960 IN VEN TOR. aw c NU/QEHEQQ 4% lfa,

3,208,240 YARN CLAMPKNG, SEVERING AND REMQVAL ATTACHMENT FUR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHHNES Flay tC. Moreliead, High Point, NIL, assignor to Harriss and Covington Hosiery Mills, lino, High Point, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina lFiled Apr. 27, 1960, Ser. No. 25,0tl4 13 Claims. (Cl. 66-134) This invention relates to circular knitting machines and more particularly to improvements in ya-rn clamping, severing, control and removal attachments mounted within the needle circle and operable in conjunction with the manipulation of the yarn feed fingers during the knitting cycle.

Conventional circular knitting machines for knitting half-hose are equipped with yarn severing devices within the needle circle for severing yarns at various intervals. However, when knitting ornamental half-hose for men and boys, stockings having design or pattern areas formed by knitting two or more yarns together in plaiting relation and floating one or more yarns while knitting with a body yarn, such as disclosed in U. S. Patent No.

2,633,722, it is necessary to remove the float yarns within the sock. Removal of the float yarns is accomplished by initially cutting the float yarns and again cutting the severed float yarns to within approximately one-half inch of the knitted fabric to enable a wearer to place a sock on the foot without the float yarns obstructing the foot from entering the sock. Removal of the float yarns is not only a tedious operation but one that is costly due to the yarn loss and additional labor involved. Generally float yarns are removed after the stocking has been knit by means of electrically operated thread clippers manipulated by an operator or by means of an apparatus such as disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,705,827.

Therefore, it is an objective of this invention to provide an automatic yarn severing attachment for circular knitting machines in which floated yarns may be severed upon manipulation of the yarn feed fingers during knitting automatically thereby eliminating the necessity for additional yarn severing operations to the knitted fabric.

It is also an objective of this invention to provide a device to sever automatically the float yarns on a circular knitting machine within the needle circle and automatically remove and control the severed yarn ends from within the needle circle while a fabric is being knit.

A further objective of this invention is to provide a yarn severing device that is double acting for automatically severing yarns within the needle circle in combination wit-h means for controlling and introducing yarns to be severed into the severing means.

Still other objects of this invention are to provide a stationary blade having spaced apart yarn severing edges with intervening yarn receiving openings in combination with a movable blade for severing yarns introduced into the yarn receiving openings within the needle circle and close to the knitted fabric during the knitting thereof.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this yarn clamping, severing, control and removal attachment will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the knitting art from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a general perspective view illustrating the essential components of the yarn clamping, severing, controlling and removal attachment and related operating mechanisms to illustrate the principle of operation of the invention as incorporated in one embodiment thereof;

FIG. 2 is a reduced partial front elevational view, with portions removed, of the attachment illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a right side elevational view of FIG. 2;

'FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of a modified mechanism for actuating the yarn severing device;

FIG. 5 is a right side elevational view of the modified mechanism illustrated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the yarn severing mechanism per se;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged partial longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along the plane of section line 77 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a partial elevational view of the yarn clamp mounted on the dial cap; and

FIG. 9 is a top plan and partial transverse sectional view taken substantially along the plane of section line 9-9 of FIG. 2.

Automatic circular knitting machines adapted to knit patterned half-hose of the type generally worn by men and boys are commercially available and well known in numerous forms, particularly those adapted to knit stockings having plaited pattern areas. Therefore, only the conventional components of the circular knitting machine essential to an understanding of this invention will be included or shown diagrammatically in the drawings so as to give a clear understanding of the operation and function of one embodiment of the attachment.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown the upper portion of the knitting machine head in which a pivotally mounted latch ring 10 encircles the circle of independent latch needles 11 that are slidably retained for vertical movement in the rotatable needle cylinder 12. Latch ring 10 is provided with a feed finger group opening 13 to accommodate the individually pivotable yarn feed fingers F1, F2 and F3, each of which is provided with .a yarn guide at the end thereof through which the yarns Y1, Y2 and Y3, respectively, will be guidably fed severally or in combination with each other to the conventional knitting instrumentalities in accordance with a predetermined pattern selection. It is standard practice for suitably spaced cam means on a revolvable pattern drum to engage and actuate individual feed finger thrust bars which in turn urge individual feed fingers (a) into a lowered active yarn feeding position to feed a yarn to the knitting needles traveling closely adjacent thereto, and (b) to an elevated inactive position to withdraw a yarn out of action to permit the withdrawn yarn to float across the knitted fabric.

A substantially fiat circular dia-l cap or pad 14 having an axially bored boss 15 positioned centrally thereon is secured by suitable means, within the needle circle in juX- taposition to the top of the cylinder and to the yarn feed fingers to the depending bracket and housing 16 that is mounted on the machine frame approximately degrees counterclockwise from the feed fingers relative to the direction of cylinder rotation. The bevel gear 17 and spur gear 18 mounted on the shaft 19 that is bearingly supported in the housing 16 is driven from the main shaft on the knitting machine through gears and an upright shaft extending vertically through the machine frame.

Gear 18 drives the gear 20 that is rotatably supported on the depending arm 21 of the housing 16 with the gear 20 being provided with an eccentrically mounted stud 22 for receiving and supporting thereon the adjustable head end 23 of the movable blade actuating link or rod 24. The blade receiving end 25 of the rod 24 is swivelly receivable in the socket 26 in the cylindrical end 27 of the pivotally supported movable blade rocker arm 28 that 3 is mounted to pivot on the stud 29 that is secured to the stationary blade 30 mounted to the side of the vertical boss on the dial cap opposite from the side facing the yarn feed fingers.

Stationary blade is provided at the rear portion thereof with vertically spaced apart openings 31 through which suitable fastening screws are passed for threaded engagement with the dial cap boss. The stud 29 on which the movable blade rocker arm 28 is supported is threadably secured to the stationary blade 36 within the opening 32. Blade tension spring retaining screw openings 33 are tapped medially of the blade 33 adjacent to the vertical movable blade guide rail 34. The free or projecting end 35 of the blade 30 is provided with substantially horizontally projecting and vertically spaced apart yarn cutting teeth 36 between which are yarn-receiving openings 37 for receiving yarns therein in their path of travel over the dial cap. The upper and lower edges 38 and 39, respectively, of each projecting tooth 36 are suitably sharpened for severing a yarn received in the openings 37 between adjacent teeth either against the upper edge or the lower edge of adjacent teeth. The number of yarn receiving openings 37 between adjacent teeth 36 may vary as Well as the vertical distance between the teeth may vary depending upon the type yarns and the proximity of the teeth to the needle circle and the length of yarn desired to extend from the knitted fabric. Although in the illustrated embodiment, more clearly shown in FIG. 6, the stationary blade may incorporate a single yarn receiving opening with opposed upper and lower yarn cutting edges to receive a yarn or yarns therein for serverance against either edge. Not only may the number of teeth in the stationary blade vary but the extent of projection thereof into close proximity to the needle circle will depend upon the diameter of the needle circle and other factors which may be accommodated by those skilled in this knitting technology. However, it has been found desirable to have at least one yarn-receiving opening 37 within close proximity to the upper surface 41 of the dial cap to facilitate yarn entry into the opening 37.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the yarn severing means comprising the stationary blade 30 and the movable blade 48 reciprocating in a vertical plane is at least degrees removed from a tangent drawn through the point of the circle most closely adjacent to the positioned blade 3!) so as to sever or cut yarns that are generally concentric to the circularly arranged knitting needles and the dial cap contained therein.

The socket 26 in the cylindrical end 27 of the arm 28 will swivelly receive the ball end 25 of the rod 24 for locking engagement therein by means of the end cap 42 that is threadably receivable in the end of the arm to lock the rod 24 in the socket with the head screw 43 being threadably adjustable to position the ball end 25 of the rod within the socket to adjust for the swivel action thereof. Stud-receiving opening 44 in the arm 28 is positioned substantially intermediate the length thereof with the free end 45 being cooperatively receivable in the armreceiving recess 46 in the rear vertical edge 47 of the movable blade 48. A vertical guide rail receiving recess 49 is positioned intermediate the movable blade 48 to cooperate with the guide rail 34 on the stationary blade 30. Movable blade 48 is provided with a number of vertically spaced apart horizontally projecting yarn severing teeth 50 extending from the other end of the movable blade to form intervening yarn-receiving openings 50 between adjacent teeth. Each tooth 50 has an upper and lower yarn cutting edge 52 and 53, respectively, comparable to the teeth 36 on the stationary blade and for cooperation therewith.

On the rear surface 54 of the movable blade 48 is a vertically reaching V-shaped groove for receiving the V- shaped leaf portion 55 of the first spring member 56 in which openings 57 are provided. A reinforcing spring 58 having a projecting portion 59 to overlie a portion of the first spring member at the lower portion thereof is also provided with openings 60, corresponding to the openings 57, to receive therein the fastening screws fill to fasten the spring members in position on the stationary blade by threaded engagement within the openings 33. The compression exerted between the blades 30 and 48 may be controlled by the spring action of the members 56 and 59 and will vary depending upon the types of yarn to be severed. It has been found desirable in some applications, due to the abrasive nature of nylon yarns particularly, to have the cutting edges of the blades at least made of tungsten carbide thereby prolonging the cutting edge life.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 present one embodiment illustrating the actuation of the movable blade in a vertical plane to sever yarns introduced into the yarn-receiving openings 37 and 51 in the blades 30 and 48. In FIGS. 4 and 5, there is shown a modified blade actuating means 63 in which the shaft 19 will revolve the cylindrical block 64 on which end face 65 a number of lever actuating sleeves 66 are revolvably mounted on studs 67 to pivot the blade rod actuating lever 68 that is pivotally supported from the housing 16 on a suitable stationary bracket 69 through the pin 70. The free end 71 of the lever 68 is provided with a socket 72 to adjustably receive the rod clamp 73 through which the blade actuating link or rod 74 is retained at the upper end thereof with the blade actuating lever socketreceiving member 75 at the lower end of the rod. Lever 68 and rod 74 have suflicient weight to urge the rod downwardly thereby exerting a constant force against the studs 66. However, an auxiliary spring member may be employed to augment this downward force on the studs.

A yarn clamping fingers 76 having an upwardly turned end 77 is yieldably urged downwardly on the top surface of the dial cap by means of the spring 78 which encircles the clamping finger retaining post '79 that is threadably mounted on the dial cap. Inactive yarns extending from the feed fingers will extend beneath the finger 76 and be removably retained thereunder with the tension on the yarn being controlled, at least partially, by the spring action which may be increased by rotating the post clockwise or counterclockwise.

Boss 15 on the dial cap has an axial conduit receiving opening 80 that communicates with the transverse yarn intake opening 81 in the base of the boss over which a relatively short channel member 82 projects radially over the dial cap into the path of travel of the yarns to direct a fiow of air into the open mouth 83 upon creating a suction sufficient to cause a flow of air through the channel mouth, channel member and the conduit 84 supported in the coupling 85 that is releasably mounted in the boss opening 80 by means of the locking screw 86. Individual motor driven centrifugal fans have been found to be satisfactory to create sufficient suction and flow of air within the conduit to induce to flow of air currents into the channel mouth and to control the inactive yarns during knitting which extend from the yarn feed fingers. Also, sufficient suction is developed to remove severed yarn ends from the dial cap. As will be more readily apparent, during the knitting operation as the inactive yarns become active, sufiicient tension on the yarns is produced by the suction effect extending from the conduit through to the open mouth of the channel member. Compressed air may also be employed to create the desired suction in the conduit by utilizing the conventional jet principle to create a suction in a branch line.

Operation The operation of this apparatus will be described for use in knitting half-hose on a circular knitting machine in which plaited patterns are formed by knitting auxiliary colored yarns together with a body yarn. The body yarn Y3 is usually knit throughout the stocking with the auxiliary colored yarns Y1 and Y2, for the pattern effects, are knit only at selected intervals together with the body yarn with the auxiliary yarns normally being floated at selected .5 intervals. The auxiliary yarns may be severed relatively close to the knitted fabric upon each yarn change as the feed fingers are manipulated with the lengths of the extending yarns depending upon the proximity of the yarn cutting mechanism to the fabric being knit. It will be readily apparent that this apparatus may be employed for ladies seamless hosiery wherein yarn changes are made so as to shorten the lap ends produced.

The yarn feed finger F3, in the lowered position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, feeds body yarn Y3 to the knitting needles at the yarn feeding position with the yarn being retained under the clamping finger 76, above the dial, and extending into the channel mouth 83 and conduit 84 as an induced draft or suction is preferably maintained constantly during the knitting cycle. Thus body yarn Y3 may be releasably held jointly by clamping finger 76 and suction while being simultaneously fed to the needles 11. In some instances, intermittent air flow may be desirable particularly in ladies seamless hosiery knitting and when only few pattern areas are knit in half-hose.

The body yarn Y3 will continue to be knit throughout the stocking and the yarn feed finger F3 will remain in the active position- Feed finger F2 feeding yarn Y2, shown in the elevated or inactive position in FIGS. 1 and 2, with the severed end of the yarn extending under the clamping fingers 76 and reaching into the conduit 84, as shown in FIG. 7, will be activated or lowered to the level of feed finger F3 by means of a thrust rod contacting a cam on the pattern drum. When placed into action, the yarn Y2 will be introduced into the needles together with the body yarn Y3 and be knit together in plaited relation. The portion 87 of yarn Y2 extending over the dial cap surface will be drawn counterclockwise with the needle travel while the loose end 88 thereof is maintained within the conduit 84 until the needle to which the yarn Y2 is fed travels approximately 135 degrees counterclockwise from the yarn feed fingers to enter the notch 89 in the periphery of the dial cap. The yarn portion 87 will enter into one of the yarn receiving openings in the yarn severing mechanism to be severed upon upward or downward movement of the movable blade leaving a short end 90 extending from the needles and a severed loose yarn portion 91 which has been removed from beneath the clamping finger 76 during travel of the needles. The loose yarn portion 91 will be sucked into the suction stream at the mouth of the channel 82 and conveyed to a suitable receptacle away from the dial cap and the needles to prevent being knit into the fabric.

Upon completion of the pattern segment with the auxiliary yarn in the course being knit, the feed fingers F2 will be elevated to the inactive position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, thereby withdrawing the yarn Y2 from engagement with the knitting needles. The elevated yarn Y2 in the inactive position .will be carried by the last needle to engage it over the dial cap, beneath the clamping finger 76 and into the path of the air flowing into the channel mouth 83 toward the conduit. As the last needle continues to travel counterclockwise, the yarn being carried thereby will be introduced into the notch 89 in the dial cap periphery and will, upon introduction thereinto, become engaged within one of the yarn receiving openings in the yarn severing device for severance thereby leaving only a short end extending from the needles to be knit into the fabric with the loose portion or inactive yarn extending from the feed finger. The loose yarn portion will be sucked into the inlet of the conduit to be retained as an inactive yarn until the feed finger F2 again becomes active. A similar procedure occurs with each of the yarns and feed fingers in order to sever loose yarn ends, remove loose yarn ortions, and control the inactive yarn ends during knitting. Due primarily to the substantial number of yarn ends to be severed, the continuously operating double action severing means has proven to be most practical to achieve the desired objectives.

It Will be readily apparent to those skilled in this knitting technology that many modifications and variations may be made to the blade construction by modifying the configuration of the cutting edges, the length thereof, the extent and position of the yarn receiving openings therein and the actuating means for moving one blade with respect to the other without departing from the true spirit of this inventive concept in which mechanical equivalents are contemplated for those disclosed and illustrated and within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a circular knitting machine having a rotary cylinder with independent needles, a dial cap mounted adjacent the top of said cylinder, yarn feeding means movable to active and inactive feeding positions to introduce and withdraw yarns from the needles, the improvement comprising yarn severing means positioned within the needle circle and extending transversely across the top of the dial cap, said yarn severing means having a stationary yarn severing blade with an upper and a lower yarn severing edge forming a yarn-receiving opening therebetween, a movable blade coacting with the upper and lower edges of the stationary blade for severing a yarn upon withdrawal of the yarn from feeding position and again when in feeding position to form a loose yarn end, means for inducing air flow adjacent to the yarn severing means to control and remove severed yarns from within the needle circle.

2. In combination with a circular knitting machine having a rotary cylinder with independent needles, a dial cap mounted adjacent the top of said cylinder, yarn feeding means movable to active position to feed a yarn to the needles and to inactive feeding position to remove a yarn from engaging the needles, yarn severing means positioned within the needle circle and extending transversely across the dial cap, said yarn severing means including stationary blade having vertically spaced apart yarn severing edges forming at least one yarn-receiving opening therebetween, a movable blade mounted for coaction with the stationary blade for severing a yarn in the yarn-receiving opening upon contact with one of the stationary blade severing edges, and yarn removal means for inducing air flow in close proximity to the severing means to control and remove severed yarn ends from the dial cap.

3. In combination with a circular knitting machine having a cylinder, a circle of independent needles in the cylinder, a dial cap supported within the needle circle and adjacent the top of the cylinder, yarn feeding means movable to inactive and active poistions, yarn severing means positioned within the needle circle and extending substantially transversely across the dial cap in angularly spaced relation from said yarn feeding means in the direction of cylinder rotation to sever a yarn being removed from knitting when the yarn feeding means is in the inactive position and to again sever said yarn when said yarn feeding means is in the active position to form a loose yarn portion, said yarn severing means including a stationary member having at least one pair of vertical 1y spaced apart yarn severing edge forming a yarn-receiving opening therebetween in the path of yarn travel, a movable blade cooperatively mounted to reciprocate in a vertical plane and to coact, said movable blade having means thereon for severing a yarn introduced into the yarn-receiving opening, means for actuating said movable blade to sever a yarn in the yarn-receiving opening upon upward or downward movement thereof.

4. In combination with a circular knitting machine having a cylinder, a circle of independent needles in the cylinder, a dial cap supported adjacent to the top of the cylinder within the needle circle, yarn feeding means movable to inactive and active positions, yarn severing means positioned within the adjacent needle circle and extending substantially transversely across the dial cap in angularly spaced relation from said yarn feeding means in the direction of cylinder rotation to sever a yarn being removed from knitting when the yarn feeding means is in the inactive position and to again sever said yarn when said yarn feeding means is in the active position to form a loose yarn portion, said yarn severing means including a stationary member having at least one pair of vertically spaced apart yarn severing edges to form a yarn-receiving opening therebetween in the path of yarn travel, a movable blade vertically reciprocable and mounted to coact with the stationary blade and having means thereon for severing a yarn introduced into the yarn-receiving opening upon withdrawing a yarn from the needles and again when said yarn is again being knit, means for actuating said movable blade continuously to sever a yarn in the upward and downward movement thereof, and suction means in juxtaposition to the severing means and within the needle circle for controlling and conveying loose yarn portions from the needle circle.

5. In combination with a circular knitting machine having a circle of independent needles, yarn feeding means movable to inactive and active positions, a dial cap supported within the needle circle, the improvement comprising a yarn severing means positioned within the needle circle and extending transversely across the dial cap and in angular spaced relation to said yarn feed fingers, said severing means comprising a stationary blade extending in a vertical plane and having a yarn-receiving opening for receiving yarns in the general path of travel thereof over said dial cap, said stationary blade having upper and lower yarnsevering edges, a movable blade cooperatively mounted with said stationary blade and having upper and lower yarn-severing edges to coact respectively with the upper and lower yarn-severing edges of the stationary blade, means for actuating said movable blade continuously, and suction means for controlling and inducing the severed yarns into a prescribed path of travel and for removing severed yarn ends.

6. In combination with a circular knitting machine having a circle of independent needles, yarn feeding means movable to inactive and active positions, and a substantially circular dial cap supported within the needle circle, yarn severing means extending substantially transversely across the dial cap and supported thereon, said severing means comprising a stationary blade extending in a vertical plane having a yarn-receiving opening extending in the general path of yarn travel over said dial cap, said stationary cutter having upper and lower yarn-severing edges, a movable blade cooperatively mounted with said stationary blade and having upper and lower yarn-severing edges to coact with the upper and lower yarn-severing edges respectively of the stationary blade, means for actuating said movable blade to severing yarns introduced into the yarn-receiving opening in the stationary blade, and means between said yarn feed fingers and said yarn severing means for controlling yarns and removing severed yarn ends.

7. In combination with a circular knitting machine having a plurality of yarn feed fingers, a plurality of needles lying in a circle, said yarn feed fingers movable to inactive and active positions, a substantially circular dial cap supported within the needle circle and a yarn suction removal means within the needle circle mounted on the dial cap and angularly spaced from the yarn feed fingers to induce yarns to flow thereinto, and yarnsevering means comprising a stationary blade extending in a vertical plane and having a yarn-receiving opening extending into the general path of the yarn travel over said dial cap, said stationary blade having upper and lower yarn-severing edges, a movable blade cooperatively mounted with said stationary blade and having upper and lower yarn-severing edges to coact with the upper and lower yarn-severing edges of the stationary blade respectively, and means for actuating said movable blade to sever yarns introduced into the yarn-receiving opening in the stationary blade.

8. In combination with a circular knitting machine having a circle of independent needles, yarn feeding means movable to inactive and active positions, yarnsevering means positioned within said needle circle and angularly spaced from said yarn feeding means in the direction of cylinder rotation to sever a yarn being removed from knitting when the yarn feeding means is in the inactive position, said yarn-severing means extending substantially transversely across the dial cap and including a stationary blade extending in a vertical plane having a yarn-receiving opening in the path of yarn travel, said stationary blade having at least a pair of upper and lower yarn cutting edges, a movable blade cooperatively mounted with said stationary blade and having upper and lower yarn severing edges to coact respectively with the upper and lower yarn-cutting edges of the stationary blade, means for actuating said movable blade continuously to sever yarns introduced into the yarn-receiving opening in the stationary blade, and suction means within the needle circle for removing severed loose yarn portions.

9. In combination with a circular knitting machine having a rotary cylinder with independent needles, a dial cap mounted adjacent the top of said cylinder, yarn feeding means movable to active and inactive feeding positions, the improvement comprising a yarn-severing means positioned within the needle circle and extending transversely across the top of the dial cap, said yarnsevering means having a stationary blade with upper and lower spaced apart yarn severing edges forming a yarnreceiving opening therebetween and a movable blade for severing the yarn by coaction between the upper and lower edges of the stationary blade, and yarn removal means for inducing air flow to control and remove severed yarns from the dial cap.

10. In combination with a circular knitting machine having a cylinder with independent needles, a dial cap mounted adjacent to the top of the cylinder, yarn feeding means movable to active and inactive feeding positions, double action yarn-severing means mounted on the dial cap for vertical movement, said severing means having upper and lower yarn-severing edges, and a stationary member having spaced apart yarn-severing edges and a yarn-receiving opening therebetween, means for actuating the yarn-severing means, said dial cap having a yarn-receiving notch therein in alignment with said yarn-receiving opening whereby a yarn drawn by a needle into the dial cap notch will be introduced into the bladereceiving opening for severance by the double acting yarn-severing means.

11. In the combination of claim 10, said means for actuating the movable blade including an eccentrically mounted link and a pivotally supported arm mounted on the stationary member to vertically reciprocate the yarn-severing means.

12. In the combination of claim 10, said means for actuating the double acting yarn-severing means includ ing a constantly rotatable cylinder having spaced camming means thereon, and means for transmitting the camming action of the camming means to actuate the yarnsevering means to sever a yarn in the yarn-receiving opening of the stationary member.

13. In a circular knitting machine having a plurality of knitting needles arranged in a circle and a dial cap within said circle at the knitting level, said cap having a notch on the periphery spaced circumferentially from a knitting point, the combination therewith comprising reciprocating yarn severing means adjacent said notch and said circle immediately above said dial cap between said knitting point and said notch, said severing means reciprocating in a vertical plane at least 45 removed from a tangent drawn through the point of the circle most closely adjacent said severing means so as to cut yarns that are generally concentric to said circle; and means adjacent said severing means and between said knitting point and said severing means and located sufficiently close to the inner periphery of said circle as to apply suction radially inward from said circle to draw any free yarns and float yarns toward said severing means and to remove any severed yarn from said circle area.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 156,551 11/74 Eastman 30-273 527,224 10/94 Thyll 30-273 634,510 10/99 Sullivan 66-140 703,036 6/02 Baird 30-275 X 2,080,784 5/37 Pool 139-302 2,584,620 2/52 Rubin 26-7 2,659,969 11/53 Merkur 30-275 X 2,908,154 10/59 Butler 66-140 3,055,199 9/62 Stack 66-140 FOREIGN PATENTS 593,152 5/59 Italy.

OTHER REFERENCES Bayer et a1.: German application No. 1,067,967, pub. 1 10-29-59.

DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner. RUSSELL C. MADER, Examiner. 

10. IN COMBINATION WITH A CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE HAVING A CYLINDER WITH INDEPENDENT NEEDLES, A DIAL CAP MOUNTED ADJACENT TO THE TOP OF THE CYLINDER, YARN FEEDING MEANS MOVABLE TO ACTIVE AND INACTIVE FEEDING POSITIONS, DOUBLE ACTION YARN-SEVERING MEANS MOUNTED ON THE DIAL CAP FOR VERTICAL MOVEMENT, SAID SERVICN MEANS HAVING UPPER AND LOWER YARN-SERVERING EDGES, AND A STATIONARY MEMBER HAVING SPACED APART YARN-SERVING EDGES AND A YARN-RECEIVING OPENING THEREBETWEEN, MEANS FOR ACTUATING THE YARN-SERVING MEANS, SAID DIAL CAP HAVING A YARN-RECEIVING NOTCH THEREIN IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID YARN-RECEIVING OPENING WHEREBY A YARN DRAWN BY A NEEDLE INTO THE DIAL CAP NOTCH WILL BE INTRODUCED INTO THE BLADERECEIVING OPENING FOR SEVERANCE BY THE DOUBLE ACTING YARN-SERVING MEANS. 